Trailer having improved side wall

Abstract

A cargo trailer includes a floor and a side wall extending vertically upward from a side edge of the floor. The side wall includes a plurality of generally vertical posts. Each post defines an interior surface disposed in a generally common plane and a recessed portion. A scuff band is received within the recessed portions so that at least a portion of the scuff band is outward of the common plane.

1. A cargo trailer for use with a motorized vehicle, said trailer comprising:
 a plurality of wheels; 
 a floor supported by said plurality of wheels; and 
 a pair of side walls extending vertically upward from opposite edges of said floor and defining a cargo area between said side walls, said cargo area defining a width between said side walls, at least one of said side walls including
 an outer skin; 
 a plurality of interior side wall liner panels spaced apart from said outer skin, and 
 a plurality of elongated vertical posts disposed between said outer skin and said liner panels, wherein each said liner panel extends between a respective pair of adjacent said posts, wherein
 each said post includes a front surface facing toward said cargo area and a rear surface facing away from said cargo area, and 
 one of said front surface and said rear surface defines a portion thereof that is recessed toward the other of said front surface and said rear surface, wherein said recessed portion receives another part of said at least one side wall whereby the width of said cargo area is increased. 
 
 
 
   
   
     2. The trailer as in  claim 1 , wherein said recessed portion is located at a bottom end of said vertical post. 
   
   
     3. The trailer as in  claim 2 , wherein said another part of said at least one side wall is a scuff band. 
   
   
     4. The trailer as in  claim 1 , wherein said vertical post includes two first longitudinal flanges generally parallel to and disposed on opposite sides of said front surface between said front surface and respective outer edges of said post, said first longitudinal flanges being recessed from said front surface between said front surface and said outer skin, and wherein each said liner panel is attached to a respective pair of said posts at a respective said first flange. 
   
   
     5. The trailer as in  claim 4 , wherein each of said vertical posts includes two second longitudinal flanges generally parallel to and disposed on opposite sides of said front surface and recessed from said first longitudinal flanges between said first longitudinal flanges and said outer skin, and wherein said outer skin is fastened to each said vertical post at said two second longitudinal flanges. 
   
   
     6. A cargo trailer for use with a motorized vehicle, said trailer comprising:
 a plurality of wheels; 
 a floor supported by said plurality of wheels; 
 a root and 
 a pair of side wails extending vertically upward from opposite edges of said floor to said roof and defining a cargo area between said side wails, at least one of said side walls including
 an outer skin, 
 a plurality of interior side wall liner panels spaced apart from said outer skin and defining an inner surface, and 
 a plurality of elongated vertical posts disposed between said outer skin and said liner panels, wherein each said liner panel extends between a respective pair of adjacent said posts, wherein 
 each said post defines a front face facing toward said cargo area and a rear face facing away from said cargo area so that a width is defined between said front face and said rear face, and 
 
 each said post defines a first portion thereof at which said width is reduced from said width of a second portion of said post that is longitudinally aligned with said first portion, wherein said first portion is smaller than said second portion. 
 
   
   
     7. The trailer as in  claim 6 , wherein said front face is recessed from said second portion to said first portion. 
   
   
     8. The trailer as in  claim 7 , wherein said first portion receives a scuff band. 
   
   
     9. The trailer as in  claim 6 , wherein said first portion is located at a bottom end of said vertical post. 
   
   
     10. The trailer as in  claim 6 , wherein each said vertical post defines two said first portions. 
   
   
     11. The trailer as in  claim 6 , wherein each said side wall includes a plurality of said elongated vertical posts. 
   
   
     12. A cargo trailer for use with a motorized vehicle, said trailer comprising:
 a plurality of wheels; 
 a floor supported by said wheels; and 
 a pair of side walls extending vertically upward from opposite edges of said floor and defining a cargo area between said side walls, said cargo area defining a width between said side walls, each said side wall including,
 an outer skin, 
 a plurality of interior sidewall liner panels spaced apart from said outer skin, 
 a plurality of elongated vertical posts disposed between said outer skin and said liner panels, wherein each said liner panel extends between a respective pair of adjacent said posts, wherein 
 each said post defines a front face facing toward said cargo area and disposed between edges of opposing adjacent said liner panels, and a rear face facing away from said cargo area so that a width is defined between said front face and said rear face, and 
 each said front face defines a first portion thereof and a second portion thereof that is smaller than said first portion, and that is longitudinally aligned with and below said first portion, and that is received from said first portion toward said rear face, and 
 a scuff band is disposed horizontally proximate said floor and is received in a recess in said front face defined at said second portion.